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Cabinet Meeting |
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Cabinet Meeting |
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| (03/08/2003) |
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 3.8.2003:
1. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon briefed ministers on his eighth trip to the
US and noted that his visit had been friendly and very successful. He said
that the visit proved the depth of the friendship and understanding between
the Israeli government and the American administration. The Prime Minister
said that his visit was designed to improve the relationship and deepen
understanding on various issues, both the Palestinians and regarding strategic issues such as Iran, Syria, international terrorism and
Iraq.
Prime Minister Sharon met with US President George Bush, Vice President
Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser
Condoleeza Rice, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and
senior American media figures.
Prime Minister Sharon emphasized that US President Bush had reiterated both
the US's commitment to the security of Israel and its citizens and that
there would be no progress in the diplomatic process without the complete
dismantlement of the terrorist organizations and a complete halt to
terrorism and violence. President Bush said that he had passed a sharply
worded message to this effect to the Palestinians during Abu Mazen's recent
visit to the US and that he had repeated this in public.
Prime Minister Sharon noted that in addition to the security issue, he had
raised the steps that Israel was taking in order to help move the process
forward, such as releasing prisoners (while making it clear that Israel
would not release prisoners with blood on their hands), the removal of main
checkpoints, transferring security responsibility for Palestinian cities and
humanitarian gestures (such as issuing 8,500 permits for Palestinians to
work in Israel).
Various other issues were also raised during Prime Minister Sharon's talks
in the US. He made it clear that the construction of the security fence
would continue and that it constituted neither a political nor a security
border, but was an additional measure designed to prevent terror activities.
Regarding unauthorized outposts, the Prime Minister noted that the
government had already removed 22 such outposts and intended to remove 12
additional ones forthwith. Regarding Jewish settlement, the Prime Minister
said that government policy had not changed and that the communities- fates
would be decided upon in the negotiations that would be held within the
framework of the talks on the permanent settlement.
Prime Minister Sharon made it clear that on strategic issues such as Iran,
Syria and international terrorism, the US had a deep understanding and views
similar to Israels on the resulting dangers.
2. Minister Natan Sharansky briefed ministers on the conference on
anti-Semitism that was held in Jerusalem and said that this forum would
reconvene in Jerusalem every six months.
3. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz briefed ministers on ongoing security
matters and noted that 30 days had passed since security responsibility for
the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem had been transferred to the Palestinian side.
He noted that he had met last week with the Palestinian Minister for
Security Affairs, Muhammad Dahlan and had given him a sharp and detailed
presentation of Israel's demands and expectations in this field.
Defense Minister Mofaz said that while a certain security relaxation was
prevailing on the ground, the terrorist infrastructures were being rebuilt.
He asserted that Israel saw insufficient action by the Palestinians in the security sphere.
Defense Minister Mofaz said that he and Minister Dahlan had also discussed
the transfer of security responsibility over additional cities. This issue
was not resolved and will be discussed further. The Defense Minister made
it clear that this issue was related - inter alia - to a resolution of the
issue of armed fugitives in Judea and Samaria, many of whom do not recognize
the halt in attacks.
Even as Israel adheres to its security demands, Israel will continue making
an effort to ease restrictions on the Palestinian population by as much as
possible.
Defense Minister Mofaz said that the current quiet was misleading since the
terrorist infrastructures still exist. There is still no tangible
Palestinian action against these infrastructures and the absence of such
activity is liable to endanger the process. For its part, Israel is
interested in the success of the process, is giving it a chance, and will
work towards its success. However, the Defense Minister cautioned that
Israel will not give in on its security needs and demands, and added that it
is taking into account the possibility that the process might yet fail and
that terror would resume - and is preparing accordingly. The Defense
Minister has issued instructions to this effect to the IDF and the security
services.
Defense Minister Mofaz also discussed the completion of the first stage of
the Seam Zone project, and noted that work on the second stage is continuing and is due to be completed by the end of
this year.
4. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom briefed ministers on his recent visit to
Washington and his appearance before 25 European Union foreign ministers. He emphasized that he had passed on the message that while Israel sees Europe as an important partner in advancing the peace process, the latter must take a balanced
approach to Israel and its positions.
During his meetings in Washington with senior administration officials, Foreign Minister Shalom
raised various issues related to the Palestinians and noted that without a
strategic decision on dismantling the terrorist infrastructures, the current
process cannot last very long.
Foreign Minister Shalom reiterated the government's position that Israel
will not move beyond the first stage of the roadmap until the Palestinians
have fulfilled their commitments according to it.
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